[DeTomaso] Comp Cams roller rockers 1045

[Mikael]

As some may remember my MME 408 Cleveland dropped a valve last summer. Had
it fixed, some new valves, a new piston, some machine work, a few new
rockers, engine thoroughly cleaned, has been driving fine since. But this
winter I thought it was time to get a new set of rockers, some had wear in
strange places and MME recommended it after 5000 miles. And since I like to
have a few spare parts I bought a full set 1045-16 and two individual
1045-1.

Taking off the old ones, I looked more thoroughly at them than you normally
would, I was doing exactly what my mother told me never to do, I was looking
for trouble. Then I noticed something different on three of them, and
looking in my log, yes those were the three new ones I put on last summer
(all 1045-1s). But the new 1045-16 kit was the same as the other 13 old
rockers. So what was the difference? The seat where the push rod rests, that
seat on the 1045-16 kit and my 13 old rockers is flush with the rocker
surface. But the three I replaced last year and one (!) of the two I have
bought as extras, the black push rod seat is 1-1.2mm out of the rocker. In
effect like having a longer push rod on these. 

I don't know how much this means, since it's a hydraulic lifter, so the
slack is just taken when adjusting. Maybe the geometry is slightly
different? Either way, product quality is not impressive, I must say. At
least I have 16 equal rockers now, can't be bad.

And a warning. Despite reading JDeRyke's article in POCA on overtightening
the locks, I managed to break one. Here's how. It suddenly felt a little
soft, but then hard again. Hhmmm, better check. Took it off, looked ok
except a scratch all the way round like a  thread, probably just a scratch.
Put it on again. Tightened. Hard. Hard. Hard. Soft. Hard. Strange, the
others had no soft spot. Was the stud turning perhaps? Shone some light on
the stud to check and tested again. And then the lock broke exactly where
the scratch had been. Learning: Any soft spot when tightening means it's
about to disintegrate, use another lock.


Mikael